The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Dog Food Review

April 8, 2012

The Honest Kitchen: Embark Recipe
4/5 paws. Overall great but more frequent poops and pricey!

Price: 4lbs Box $44 (makes 16lbs of fresh food)

Company:

The Honest Kitchen is a family owned, private pet food company located in San Diego, CA since 2002. Their goal:

How could a fresh, uncooked home-made pet-food consisting of ”people-food’  ingredients, be made more convenient and easier to prepare, while still remaining healthy? 

Overview

By dehydrating the ingredients, the whole foods in their recipes maintain the raw nutritional properties, such as amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals versus a kibble which has been extruded or cooked under extreme pressure. To re-hydrate Honest Kitchen products, add 1-1.5 cups of warm water to the mix and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.

They encourage adding additional items like raw meat and bones, yogurt, or vegetables. All recipes are free of fillers and by-products.

Dehydration or ‘air drying’ is a slower, gentler process that can take place at different temperatures (around 140 to 1665F for meats and below 104F for most other ingredients) and takes varying amounts of time depending on the ingredient.

Recommended 4/5 stars by Dog Food Advisor.

Like all of our diets, Love is 100% human-grade, made in the USA, and does not contain corn, soy, rice, beet pulp or wheat. Just add water for a fresh, wholesome and human grade meal.

Likes

The Honest Kitchen is an all-natural, human-grade pet food. It’s a ‘just add water’ pet meal is made with dehydrated ingredients such as meats, vegetables, fruits and grains.  It is manufactured in an FDA approved human-grade facility. This food really slows down my pup from inhaling her food!

Dislikes

Some ingredients sourced, so we’re not sure on the quality control of those items . The main drawback seems to be the price. Also, if you look at the “as served” nutrient profile, it turns out to be much lower than what is stated on the box and can cause some confusion on how much to feed.  http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/thrive-flyerv5.pdf

Ingredients

Embark – All Life Stages, Grain Free

Dehydrated cage-free USDA turkey, organic flaxseed, potatoes, celery, spinach, carrots, organic coconut, apples, organic kelp, eggs, bananas, cranberries, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein, 29.0% min
Fat, 18.0% min
Fiber, 9.6% max
Moisture, 7.8% max
Calcium, 1.7
Phosphorus, 1.10
Linolenic Acide (Omega 6), 4.35 %
Linolenic Acid (Omega 3),  2.67 %
Vitamin A, 88515.42 IU/Kg
Vitamin C, 100.42 MG/KG
Vitamin D, 1160 IU/KG
Vitamin E, 211.90 IU/KG
B12, 1.19 MG/KG
488 Calories per cup

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Love Formula (All Life Stage, Grain Free)
Love is ideal for dogs that may have grain or gluten sensitivities, or to help maintain a healthy body weight. Love is low-carb with just 35% carbohydrates. Low carb diets are often indicated as part of a holistic approach to cancer recovery.

Price: 4lbs Box $47 (makes 16lbs of fresh food)

Overview:

Grain Free –  it’s complete and balanced made with dehydrated hormone-free beef, vegetables, fruits and love. It’s ideal for puppies and active adult dogs, particularly those with food sensitivities to grains, gluten, eggs and those who need a low carbohydrate diet.

Ingredients:

Dehydrated hormone-free beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, parsley, dandelion greens, papaya, cranberries, pumpkin, honey, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Guaranteed Analysis:

Protein, 31% min

Fat, 18.5% min

Fiber, 7.0% max

Moisture, 7.8% max

Calcium, 1.1
Phosphorus, .88
Linolenic Acide (Omega 6), 1.86 %
Linolenic Acid (Omega 3),  .73 %
Vitamin A, 122865.00 IU/Kg
Vitamin C, — MG/KG
Vitamin D, 500.00 IU/KG
Vitamin E, 71.90 IU/KG
B12, 0.02 MG/KG
514 Calories per cup

Full nutrient profile

Second opinion blog post

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Overall comparison chart of the various Honest Kitchen recipes
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Other formulas to try

Thrive  (All Life Stage, Gluten Free)

Thrive is ideal for sensitive dogs who need gluten-free dog food but with a little grain, to help maintain a healthy body weight.

Price: 4lbs Box $37 (makes 16lbs of fresh food)

Ingredients:

Dehydrated free-range chicken, organic fair-trade quinoa, sweet potatoes, spinach, parsley, organic kelp, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Guaranteed Analysis:

  • Protein, 26% min
  • Fat, 18% min
  • Fiber, 6.5% max
  • Moisture, 7.5% max
  • 516 Calories per cup

Zeal (All Life Stage, Gluten Free, Grain Free)

This natural dog food diet was designed to cater to adult dogs of all breeds and sizes. Zeal is ideal for sensitive dogs that need a grain and gluten free dog food or who may have a sensitivity to the more popular protein sources,

Price: 4lbs Box $52 (makes 16lbs of fresh food)

Ingredients:

Dehydrated white fish (line-caught Haddock, wild Whiting), sweet potatoes, eggs, organic coconut, organic alfalfa, apples, pumpkin, parsley, cabbage, bananas, wild Salmon, cranberries, garlic, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Protein, 35.5% min
Fat, 8.5% min
Fiber, 5.8% max
Moisture, 8.9% max
437 Calories per cup

Preference (Grain Free base, must add meat)

This natural dog food foundation diet was designed to be mixed with your choice of raw meat, meaty bones, or cooked meat. Preference is ideal for sensitive dogs, raw feeders, and dogs who many need a unique protein source. This diet contains a custom vitamin-mineral premix with balanced calcium: phosphorus ratios.

Price: 3lbs Box $29 (makes 12lbs of fresh food)

Ingredients:

Dehydrated sweet potatoes, organic alfalfa, cabbage, organic coconut, apples, spinach, pumpkin, bananas, celery, organic kelp, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Guaranteed Analysis:

  • Protein, 12% min
  • Fat, 6% min
  • Fiber, 10% max
  • Moisture, 10% max
  • 333 Calories per cup
A good review on the base mix here

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